Fuchsia plant named ‘KLEFU14843’

ABSTRACT

A new  fuchsia  plant particularly distinguished by flowers having white petals and red-purple sepals, a compact, mounded, upright plant habit, and a freely-branching growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Fuchsia sp.

Variety denomination: ‘KLEFU14843’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of fuchsia,botanically known as Fuchsia sp. and hereinafter referred to by thevariety name ‘KLEFU14843’. ‘KLEFU14843’ originated from acontrolled-cross in October 2011 between the proprietary female fuchsiavariety ‘2012.15’ (unpatented) and the proprietary male fuchsia variety‘2012.7’ (unpatented).

In May 2012, the two fuchsia parental lines ‘2012.15’ and ‘2012.7’ werecrossed in Stuttgart, Germany and seeds were obtained. The seeds weresown and plants were grown for evaluation. A plant line was selected inMarch 2013 and subsequently named ‘KLEFU14843’. In March 2013,‘KLEFU14843’ was first vegetatively propagated by vegetative cuttings inStuttgart, Germany. ‘KLEFU14843’ was found to reproduce true to type insuccessive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings inStuttgart, Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Flowers having white petals and red-purple sepals;    -   2. A compact, mounded, upright plant habit; and    -   3. A freely-branching growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new fuchsia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows an overall view of the plant. The photograph is of anapproximately 3-month-old plant grown in Stuttgart, Germany undergreenhouse conditions in May 2014.

The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLEFU14843’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inLatina, Italy. Data was collected on 2.5 to 3 month-old plants inLatina, Italy grown in a greenhouse in June 2015. Color references areto The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Onagraceae.        -   Botanical.—Fuchsia sp.        -   Designation.—‘KLEFU14843’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary female fuchsia variety            ‘2012.15’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The proprietary male fuchsia variety ‘2012.7’            (unpatented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 1 to 2 weeks at 20            ° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 2 weeks at            temperatures of 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—3 to 4 weeks            at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—4 weeks at            temperatures of 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, yellowish-white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant habit/form.—Compact, mounded, upright plant habit.        -   Growth habit.—Freely-branching habit with lateral branches            developing potentially at every node; bushy plant habit;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—20.0 cm to 22.0 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—28.0 cm to 30.0 cm.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 15.0 cm to 18.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 2.0 mm.        -   Internode length.—Approximately 2.8 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to semi-upright.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to RHS 146B.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—4.7 cm on average.        -   Width.—1.5 cm on average.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse and rounded.        -   Margin.—Shallowly serrate.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Close to RHS 146B. Lower            surface: Close to RHS 147C.        -   Color.—Developing leaves: Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower            surface: RHS 147B. Fully expanded leaves: Upper surface: RHS            N137A. Lower surface: RHS 147B.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 1.5 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, concave. Lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous, convex.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 146B. Lower surface: RHS 146C.-   Flower:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single axillary flowers;            flowers pendulous; freely flowering habit with potentially            two flowers per leaf axil.        -   Total number of flowers per plant.—Over 40 fully open            flowers and 80 buds on a mature plant when at flowering            stage.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; in Europe,            plants flower from early spring to autumn; flowering            continuous during this period.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to six days on the            plant.        -   Flower diameter.—0.9 cm (petals), 4.4 cm (sepals).        -   Flower height (depth).—Approximately 3.5 cm (base of sepals            to stigma tip).        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elliptic. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 0.9 cm. Color: RHS 51A.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Typically four in a single whorl.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth, glabrous,            satiny.        -   Color.—Upper (outside) surface: When opening: RHS 155B.            Fully open: RHS 155B. Lower (inside) surface: When opening:            RHS 155B. Fully open: RHS 155B.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement.—Calyx star-shaped with four sepals fused at the            base.        -   Length.—2.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Slightly cuspidate.        -   Base.—Attenuate, fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth, glabrous,            and satiny.        -   Color.—Upper (outside) surface: When opening: RHS 58B. Fully            opened: RHS 58B. Lower (inside) surface: When opening: RHS            58B. Fully opened: RHS 58C.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—2.6 cm on average.        -   Diameter.—0.09 cm.        -   Angle.—Arching.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS 146B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: 8. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.            Anther size: About 2.2 mm by 1.3 mm. Anther color: RHS 158B            with RHS N57B (Red-Purple) shading. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to RHS 155A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: 4.5 cm on            average. Style color: Towards the base, close to RHS 155A;            towards the apex, close to RHS 54A. Stigma shape: Clavate.            Stigma color: RHS 49B. Ovary color: RHS 144A.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed.-   Disease and pest/insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLEFU14843’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent Male parent Trait‘KLEFU14843’ ‘2012.15’ ‘2012.7’ Plant habit Mounded Semi-moundedSemi-mounded

‘KLEFU14843’ can be compared to the commercial variety WINDCHIMES ‘RedWhite’ (patent status unknown). Differences between the two varietiesare described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Commercial line Trait‘KLEFU14843’ WINDCHIMES ‘Red White’ Sepal color Light red Dark red

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of fuchsia plant named ‘KLEFU14843’ as illustrated and described herein. 